Raffi Torres ruling for hit on Marian Hossa will come on Saturday, league says

The Blackhawks will have to wait one more day to see how long Phoenix Coyotes forward Raffi Torres is suspended for his leaping, shoulder-to-head hit on Marian Hossa in Game 3. The NHL said Friday that it will not announce it’s decision regarding Torres’ suspension until Saturday. Torres had an in-person hearing with NHL disciplinarian

The Blackhawks will have to wait one more day to see how long Phoenix Coyotes forward Raffi Torres is suspended for his leaping, shoulder-to-head hit on Marian Hossa in Game 3.

The NHL said Friday that it will not announce it’s decision regarding Torres’ suspension until Saturday. Torres had an in-person hearing with NHL disciplinarian Brendan Shanahan at noon on Friday at the league’s New York offices.
Torres was suspended indefinitely Wednesday for his illegal hit on Hossa a day earlier. Hossa was carried off the ice on a stretcher, hospitalized and later released.

Hossa (head injury) did not play in Game 4 Thursday and won’t play in Game 5 on Saturday in Glendale, Ariz. He did not travel with the Hawks to Arizona on Friday.

“He’s the same,” Quenneville said.

Hossa didn’t have the puck at the time, while Torres left the ice and made direct contact with Hossa’s head, violating Rule 48 (Illegal Check to the Head),

Here is Torres’ suspension history that will likely play a huge role in Shanahan’s ruling:

** A four-game suspension, including two playoff games, for elbowing Edmonton Oilers forward Jordan Eberle on April 5, 2011.

Hossa had communicated with the Hawks via text messages and spoken with a few of them.

“He’s texting all the boys back, so he’s pretty busy with his phone now,” Jonathan Toews said. “I don’t want to keep him too busy. You want him to rest and relax. But by the sound of it, he’s getting better as the day goes on.”

(Image source: AP)

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